Aquatic habitat structure and associated methods

An aquatic habitat structure for a body of water comprising:

• a plurality of tree sections coupled together to form an artificial tree, each tree section comprising:
• a trunk,
• a first plurality of leaflets on the trunk, and
• a plurality of spaced-apart layers of limbs extending outwards from the trunk, each layer of limbs comprising a plurality of limbs, each limb comprising a plurality of branches, and each branch covered by a second plurality of leaflets,
• with each leaflet in the first and second plurality of leaflets having a rectangular shape and providing a biologic surface area for adherence of periphytons to enhance water quality in the body of water, with the biologic surface area comprising textured regions to provide additional biologic surface areas for the adherence of the periphytons to further enhance the water quality in the body of water, and with the textured regions being configured as a uniform pattern of contouring comprising bumps, grooves and ridges.

A method for improving water quality in a body of water, comprising:

• coupling a plurality of tree sections together to form an artificial tree, each tree section comprising:
• a trunk having a cylindrical shape with opposing ends and a curved surface extending therebetween,
• a first plurality of leaflets covering the curved surface of the trunk, and
• a plurality of spaced-apart layers of limbs extending outwards from the curved surface of the trunk, each layer of limbs comprising a plurality of limbs, each limb comprising a plurality of branches, and each branch covered by a second plurality of leaflets,
• with each leaflet in the first and second plurality of leaflets providing a biologic surface area for adherence of periphytons to enhance water quality in the body of water, and with the biologic surface area comprising textured regions to provide additional biologic surface areas for the adherence of the periphytons to further enhance the water quality in the body of water;
• and
• placing the artificial tree in the body of water.